The tournament individual competition was now approaching its final stages. High-level jousting matches took place in the fourth round, delighting the audience. The veteran Steinhof knight who’d defeated Michael faced the Imperial Knights commander in the first match, and the bout was extremely rough.

The Imperial Knights commander seemed to be a master at provoking opponents.

Though the veteran knight drew on his rich experience, ultimately the Imperial Knights commander advanced to the fifth round.

Michael had wanted the veteran knight to teach the Imperial Knights commander a lesson, but things didn’t go as he’d hoped and he was fuming. The second match was Fiel versus Offenburg’s knight. Though Fiel fell from his horse once, he ultimately emerged victorious. I sincerely congratulated him on his win.

He wasn’t just anyone but a comrade who’d ridden the battlefield with me.

The third match was no exaggeration to call the marquee event.

Like watching the finals ahead of schedule? It was my father-in-law versus Wilhelm.

Michael hoped my father-in-law would beautifully smash the great freelancer’s face. But Wilhelm proved why he’d earned such a title by unhorsing my father-in-law in the second exchange. Seeing my father-in-law, who was like a tank, fall from his horse made something boil up inside me.

My father-in-law didn’t back down and rechallenged to face Wilhelm again. Wilhelm also fell from his horse after being struck by my father-in-law’s heavy lance, and the match gradually escalated into a fierce contest. Even Wilhelm, who had seemed impregnable, couldn’t avoid a struggle. After five brutal clashes, my father-in-law had to concede due to a shoulder injury.

"It was the best match, Count Steiner. I hope your injury heals."

"Still excellent skill, Sir Terese. I lost."

Even in defeat, my father-in-law seemed to have no regrets. Among the War Ministry participants, I was the only one left. My opponent was the Grand Duke’s Guard commander, and victory was far from guaranteed. But my father-in-law’s valiant struggle had definitely inspired me.

"Son-in-law, you’re the only one left now. Present Hilda with the greatest honor."

My father-in-law, being helped off the field by Michael, patted my shoulder.

Not the War Ministry’s honor, but present Hilda with the greatest honor.

That was the true purpose of my tournament participation.

So following my father-in-law’s example, I resolved to clash with all my might.

The Grand Duke’s Guard commander position isn’t one just anyone can hold. Because he guards the Grand Duke most closely, the candidate goes through rigorous vetting procedures requiring both ability and character. The Guard commander must value rationality above all and maintain composure in any situation.

The current Guard commander was from the Neunil court viscount family, close to the Altringen royal family—a figure shrouded in mystery in many ways. He had so few personal connections that hardly anyone could claim a relationship with him, and from the rumors alone you could tell he was truly mechanical.

I’d heard he was close to old man Bertheim, but the old man had never told me details about the Guard commander. The old man had only described him as a noble who wouldn’t spare even his life to protect the Grand Duke. That assessment aligned with the Guard commander’s disposition being loyalty (neutral).

Though known as quite capable in his role, he fanatically loved tournaments. Originally, guards protecting the Grand Duke rarely participated in tournaments, but after receiving permission since Grand Duke Karlus’s enthronement, he’d competed steadily for three years.

And he faced me in the fourth round.

Could the sky be this clear and blue?

I hadn’t known lying on the ground could be this comfortable. If this were our home garden full of rose fragrance, I might have leisurely taken a nap, but unfortunately it was the middle of the tournament arena. The cheers ringing in my ears forcibly pulled me back to reality.

I definitely remembered competing with the Guard commander through the third exchange.

The moment we collided in the fourth exchange, I tumbled from the saddle under a heavy impact without any chance to endure with core strength and thigh power. How precisely had he struck that even with the F-Rank Tournament Knight (Impact 20% Defense 20%) title I couldn’t hold on? It seemed even the ability to endure was useless if struck with pinpoint accuracy.

"Lord Wolfgang! Are you all right?!"

"I think I’m more okay than expected. Help me up."

Helped to my feet by Ted and Oscar, I paid the ransom to the Guard commander and requested a rechallenge. After struggling to reach the fourth-round quarterfinals, my pride wouldn’t allow me to retreat after a single fall. I was starting to get stubborn.

I raised my lance and took the joust field again. My whole body ached, but more than that, I couldn’t face Hilda if I lost so pathetically. Hilda would rather I not overdo it than worry about victory or defeat, but men sometimes have things they want to prove even at the cost of pushing themselves.

"Anfang!"

I charged again. The Guard commander’s lance struck my shield hard. I didn’t know how he found my center of gravity so precisely. I barely kept my balance as my body staggered from the impact. Had it been before I’d acquired the title, I would have fallen from that blow alone. My own lance glanced off the Guard commander’s shield.

I needed to concentrate harder.

My opponent was hitting my shield’s center of gravity with precision, dealing considerable damage, but I hadn’t landed a single effective attack. I didn’t know if it was lingering effects from the fall, but the match overall wasn’t going my way. My one successful strike came in the third exchange.

Crack!

The Guard commander’s upper body staggered, but he seemed to regain his balance easily. When I turned my horse’s head at the end of the joust field, I gritted my teeth looking at the Guard commander, who’d already replaced his lance and taken position at the front. I charged together with Mont Blanc. Be brave. See it through to the end.

Neigh! Neigh!

But the Guard commander’s horse suddenly veered off course and charged straight at Mont Blanc. The Guard commander’s lance swayed wildly, and I turned Mont Blanc diagonally to avoid a collision without straining him. What mattered here was that the rider maintain composure.

Sometimes collisions between horses killed knights outright.

Fortunately, I controlled Mont Blanc without panicking.

I narrowly avoided crashing into the Guard commander’s horse.

And seizing that opening, I struck his unsteady shield. Crack! The lance shattered while delivering a solid impact. When I reached the end of the joust field and turned my horse’s head, I could see the unhorsed Guard commander. The impact had been considerable—he couldn’t properly control his body.

Whew, that was definitely lucky.

For some reason, the Guard commander’s horse had veered toward me, freeing me from his attack, and my own strike had succeeded thanks to Mont Blanc’s deft evasion. As a result, we were tied. This was purely a stroke of luck.

Since there was no middle wall (Tilt Barrier) on the joust field, such unexpected collisions could happen at any time. The Guard commander, having regained his senses, paid the ransom and immediately rechallenged. I knew he’d rechallenge since he’d fallen through sheer misfortune. He seemed flustered as he tried to calm his agitated horse.

"Please wait until the horse is calmed."

The referee ran over announcing a temporary suspension. A sensible measure.

If a horse couldn’t be calmed during the match, its rider could lose his life.

I didn’t know what had startled it, but this too was part of the tournament.

What if it had been Mont Blanc acting up instead of the Guard commander’s horse? Just imagining it was dizzying. Thank you so much for obediently following my control. I would definitely feed him his favorite sugar cubes later. Mont Blanc snorted combatively and scraped the ground with his front hoof. Very reliable.

The match resumed, and I charged boldly, determined to unhorse the Guard commander, who’d shown vulnerability this time. Our lances crossed, simultaneously striking each other’s shields. Because his lance glanced off my center of gravity, I was able to endure the impact.

Thud!

Waaaah!

The Guard commander fell. My lance had struck his shield precisely. Though I hadn’t found his center of gravity, it was a fortunate result thanks to his horse’s unstable footing. In tournament matches, horses can’t be replaced unless they die or are injured. So the Guard commander was deeply unlucky right now.

"The Guard commander has paid the ransom and requests to rechallenge Your Lordship!"

"A rechallenge? How can he rechallenge with his horse in that state?"

I’d thought he would concede given the horse’s condition, but the Guard commander mounted the saddle again. Indomitable will. He was a truly impressive rider. I could see why he’d risen to Guard commander, the Grand Duke’s closest aide. Though I had no personal connection with him, he was a respectable knight.

I took the joust field again.

By the count of falls, I was in the lead, having fallen only once.

Once again I focused my lance tip and struck the Guard commander’s shield.

Crack! Crash! The impact felt undeniably heavy.

As the lance broke, I was certain my attack had connected.

Thud!

"Urgh!"

But the one actually falling was me.